title: Impact of primary omentectomy on longevity of peritoneal dialysis catheters in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of omentectomy on peritoneal dialysis catheter failure rates in pediatric patients with renal failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of children undergoing peritoneal catheter placement was performed over a 22-year period. Children were segregated into those undergoing catheter placements with omentectomy or without.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred sixty-three patients were reviewed, with a 1:1.03 ratio of male to female patients. The mean age was 6.25 ± 5.58 years. Fifty-three percent underwent omentectomy. Catheter failure was observed in 63 children (39%). Catheter obstruction was identified in 36%. Peritonitis led to failure in 9.8%. Catheter failure rate was significantly reduced with the performance of omentectomy (23% without omentectomy vs 15% with omentectomy, P = .0054). Differences in time to catheter failure did not reach statistical significance in the omentectomy group (759 vs 280 days, P = .13).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Omentectomy conferred improved utility of peritoneal catheters in children. Omentectomy appears useful in children undergoing peritoneal dialysis catheter placement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA. aladd@iupui.edu
authors.forename: Alan P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Ladd
authors.forename: Francine D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Breckler
authors.forename: Nathan M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Novotny
mesh_terms: D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy; D008136:Longevity; D008297:Male; D009852:Omentum / Q000601:surgery*; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome